“I saw happiness in you last night that I’ve only seen on rare occasions since we met.” I stated. “Our wedding, the births of the kids. I couldn’t deny you that. Chase your dream again.”
She kissed me, beaming. “Thank you lyubimaya, I love you so much.”
“How could you not, I’m adorable.” I teased, kissing the end of her nose.
“To work you, before I drag you off.” She purred.
I’d barely made it to my toolbox when Jeff hollered at me. “Where in the hell did you find her?” He boomed.
“I take it you were impressed.” I said, grinning.
“Man, she’s amazing.” He shook his head. “That’s a big voice in that little woman. Has she ever been professional, I feel like I’ve heard her before?”
I swallowed hard, buying time to think. “I think she was in a high school musical or two, if I remember correctly, but beyond that, I don’t think so.” I lied.
“She easily could be.” He complimented. “We’re gonna wipe the floor with those other bands, I owe you BIG time.”
“I’m happy to help, and she’s ecstatic.” I assured. “Just make sure she stays safe and it’s all good.”
Reyna and the guys got in a couple more rehearsals before the contest, and were very happy with the results. She all but floated around the house, humming, or outright singing nearly constantly as the date approached.
“You nervous?” I asked, the night before.
“A little.” She answered. “The guys are ready, and I admit, they’re good, like almost professionally good, but I’d like another rehearsal or two. Not gonna happen, of course, but… It helps that expectations are low, I’m not performing as ‘her’, just a suburban housewife, so even if I screw up completely, nobody’s going to care.”
“I’m sure that won’t happen.” I comforted, kissing her forehead. “I know how hard you’ve worked for this.”
Friday night we dropped the kids at Reyna’s parents for the weekend and prepared for the band contest.
She was actually excited. “It’s been so long, I’ve missed this so much.” She grinned, fidgeting in her seat waiting for the first band to take the stage.
“Am I going to have to sedate you?” I chuckled.
“Probably.” She giggled.
Their band was fourth. The first band was, to be kind, horrible. Scrap metal in a dryer would have sounded better. It might be a very long night.
Just before the second band started, Jeff came out. He looked panicked, his eyes scanning the crowd. Finding me, he took off towards me.
I saw him approaching. “Man, you look worried, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Just a bad case of nerves.” He grimaced. “Happens before every show.”
“You guys got this.” I assured. “If that first band was any indication, I could win this beating on a car fender with a hammer.”
Jeff laughed. “They were pretty bad weren’t they?”
“Skedaddle.” I grinned. “There’s a band back there that needs you.”
The second band was just finishing by the time I found a good seat. They were good, maybe some competition after all. The third wasn’t terrible, but I wasn’t really paying attention. My mind was reeling from the realization I was going to see my wife perform for the first time. I’d heard her sing before, around the house and when we were messing around, but not professionally. I just hoped she wasn’t as nervous as I was.
After what seemed years, the band took the stage. Reyna looked so small in front of these big, burly, biker looking dudes. I guess if she was in her ‘Dark Angel’ persona, she’d look more appropriate, but she was in jeans and a frilly, light green top. She’d let her hair go back to it’s natural white and given up her purple contacts for a more normal amber. From the crowd’s view, she looked like a tiny teenage girl, and absolutely NOT like ‘Dark Angel’.
The band started playing…loud. Blasting the intro to Joan Jett’s ‘Bad Reputation’ across the arena. Reyna stepped forward, mic in hand and jumped in.
Not a really good song for her talents, but she made it sound amazing. The crowd was lackluster at first, being as the first three bands were decent at best, but her voice and her phrasing started to win them over. By the end of the song, they were paying attention and applauded when it ended. The songs the band played continued to rise in tempo and energy, building to the climax Reyna had picked. The crowd had responded in kind, becoming more engaged and animated as set progressed and by the time the last song started, they were standing, crowding the stage as she sang.
The last song started, Pat Benatar’s ‘Promises in the Dark’. Reyna started out slowly, as the song doesn’t really take off immediately, standing just out of reach of the surging crowd, then as the chorus started, she exploded, voice soaring, with a power and fury her small frame seemed to make impossible. The crowd went ballistic!
Reyna sang her heart out, nearly bursting from the emotions swirling inside her. What started out as fear and trepidation quickly gave way to elation as she realized she was exactly where she wanted to be. She needed the crowd, she fed off their energy, absorbed it, amplified it and sent it right back at them. It was the most amazing and at the same time the most terrifying thing I’d ever witnessed. She drove the crowd to the brink of chaos, then held them there, spellbound. As the last notes died away, they stood, mouths agape at what they had just witnessed, then they erupted in applause. Jeff and the Bass player stepped in front of her and blocked the crowd as Reyna made a hasty retreat.
I met her backstage, threw my arms around her and hugged her. “That was AMAZING.” I screamed over the din of the crowd. “I can’t even describe how proud I am of you.”
As the last band took the stage, we went to find the guys and find a quiet corner to wait for the judging. Deliberation didn’t take long and it was little surprise they won. $5000 worth of won.
As they completed loading the gear, the guys approached Reyna. “We want you to have this.” They said, handing her the check. “If it weren’t for you, we’d have never won this.”
Reyna smiled. “I appreciate the gesture guys, but we don’t need the money, you guys do. Please split it amongst yourselves and if you’d all come by the house, we’ll celebrate and I’ll explain why.”
I looked at her, fear flashing in my eyes. “You’re going to tell them?”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I think it’s time I quit hiding who I am, or at least who I was.”
About an hour later, were sitting in our living room, swilling beer and celebrating.
“OK.” Reyna inhaled, a serious look on her face. “We need to tell you something. Something we’ve kept secret for a very long time. Something, we hope you can keep secret as well, for now anyway.”
“Guys.” Jeff said, confused. “You’re scaring me. Are you hiding from the mob or robbed a bank, or something.”
“Nothing nearly that interesting.” Reyna chuckled. “Just answer me this, if you could meet a dead musician, specifically a female musician, who would you pick?”
Several names were thrown out, then Biggs, the drummer said “I always thought ‘Dark Angel’ was pretty cool, such a little thing with that great big voice, she…kinda…NO!”
“Biggs?” Jeff said. “You OK, man?”